Chinese State Councilor calls for frank dialogues between China, U.S. political parties

BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua)-- Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Friday called for frank dialogues between the political parties of China and the United States to promote long-term, healthy and stable bilateral ties.

Dai made the remarks here while meeting with a U.S. bipartisan delegation led by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Williamson.

"The current visit of the U.S. bipartisan delegation heralds a new chapter in China-U.S. party exchanges and serves as a new and important channel for building positive, cooperative and a comprehensive China-U.S. relationship for the 21st century," Dai said.

Dai met the 18-member U.S. delegation after a high-level dialogue between the delegation and the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing on Wednesday.

Albright said the dialogue is quite fruitful and expressed hope the dialogue mechanism will continue.

She said the dialogue was conducted on a basis of equality and mutual respect and aimed at boosting consensus, understanding and cooperation.

Williamson said the dialogue helped to strengthen trust between the two countries and urged more exchanges between the political parties.

It is also the first time the two U.S. political parties have sent a bipartisan delegation to China.

Dai called on political parties of the two countries to cement understanding, trust and friendship through candid dialogue to promote long-term, healthy and stable bilateral ties.